Quick Microwave Bread and Butter Pickles

Makes one quart of pickles. 

Use two one quart mason jars. Make sure they are clean. 

You will need these vegetables and things to combine as described below:

• pickling cucumbers (enough to mostly fill the quart jar)
• medium yellow or white onion sliced 1/2 inch into rings
• orange or red bell pepper
• (optional) whole habaneros or sliced jalapeños 
• apple cider vinegar
• water

Slice both ends of the pickling cucumbers and discard. This help keep the pickles crispy.

Slice cucumbers 1/4 inch thick and fill one jar 3/4 full. This will take 5-7 cucumbers. 

Slice onion 1/2 inch. Slice red or orange bell pepper into sticks. Finish filling the jar with onion, red pepper and any spicy vegetables you select. 

Fill the jar with apple cider vinegar to the 3/4 level (with vegetables still in it). Finish filling the last quarter to the neck with water. 

Transfer the liquid into the second quart mason jar. Do not transfer any vegetables. The second jar will contain only liquid. Set aside the first jar. 

Estimate the amount of liquid from marks on jar or you can measure it. Add 1/2 that amount of white sugar into the jar. (For example: Perhaps the jar is half full. Half a quart is 2 cups. Halfen that to come up with a cup of sugar needed to add to the jar.) 

Stir well. 

Add

• Sugar as measured to match vinegar mixture
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp whole mustard seed
• 1 tsp celery seed (or 2 tsp celery flakes)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 8 whole peppercorns either white or black (or 1/4 tsp ground white pepper)
• (Optional) 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper for spiciness
• (Optional) 6 whole allspice berries or 4 whole cloves

Put jar with liquid vinegar, sugar and spices in microwave. On high, cook a minute, stir well, check the temperature and repeat until it reaches 200 degrees. My microwave is 1100 watts and took 3 1/2 min total.  (If you don’t have a thermometer repeat until it just begins to boil.) The sugar will dissolve completely and the spices will mix into the vinegar mostly. Stir one last time.

Sprinkle over the vegetables in the vegetable jar.

• 1/4 tsp pickle fresh (calcium chloride) 

Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables in their jar up to neck of the jar. Disturb the vegetables to get bubbles out. I use a chopstick or skewer. If needed add a bit of water to reach the neck. 

Clean top of jar. Seal. We don't process these pickles.

Let it set 1 hour to come back to room temperature. 

Chill and eat when cold. Overnight is best. These pickles must be kept refrigerated and do not last indefinitely. 

Warning. I’ve had a problem with room temperature jars where pouring hot vinegar too quickly into a cold jar can crack it. Similarly washing out the vinegar in a hot jar with cold water will crack it. 

Been there. Done that. You might not want to.

Variations:

Replace the cucumber slices and onion slices with thinly sliced red onion to fill the jar completely. These are good on tacos.

Or replace the cucumber and onion slices with sliced jalapeño peppers - 1/4 inch thick. Mix in a few thinly sliced habanero peppers for color. 

Or fill the jar with sliced, roasted, skinless beets with white onion slices.